Conspicuous Employment

This book illustrates the foundations of status research from the perspective of recruiting. The ever-increasing competitive pressure on both sides of the market has led to the growing significance of prestige in employment as an efficient yardstick of performance. At the same time, mounting student loans make the need for a prestigious education palpable. While prestige has always been important in the job market, continuously increasing competitive pressure is driving the role of prestige to new heights. This book shows how insights from consumer research on prestige-driven behavior can be helpful in gaining a better understanding of applicants’ motives. Furthermore, it investigates the effect of prestige preference versus value-based, person-organization fit. Lastly, the book reports on experimental evidence that prestigious employer preference can provide a basis for risky decision-making behavior. Prestige is an increasingly powerful motivator in today’s job market - one that requires a closer look.